washburn presentation model banjo 1892

[skip sail]

[skip sail]

Heres a photo of my "new"1892 Washburn presentation model.

Its without a doubt the finest sounding "classical style "banjo i have ever played,now that i have it set up.

Incredibly clear and resonant(the frailing plunk-er-lunkers would hate it!) the notes get stonger and clearer the further up the neck you go,kind of like a good weissenborn guitar. It has a long 28#scale that takes a bit of getting used to,and sounds great tuned down as well.

I think these early washburns are undervalued and overlooked,anyone agree?

[Jody Stecher]

What's the diameter of the pot, Skip? When I was about 16 I found a nearly identical neck in a little 0ne room store front music shop that was in my neighborhood for about a year, I bought it for something like 8 dollars and attached it to a unattached 11 inch pot I had lying around. I had to put the bridge way back to get the frets to work. Within a year I sold the contraption to another kid who needed a banjo. Here's an old blurry photo.

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Man,the tinkering you guys got up to back in the 30's(going by the photo!)

The pot is 12",and with the long scale sets the bridge pretty far back.I would love to find an original tailpiece and tuners for this,if anybody has em? It should probably have a Durkee tailpiece,or possibly an Eleanor Son

and the tuners should be carved walrus or bone,not casein(although im not fussy!)

[skip sail]

what am i doing sitting at the computer at 3AM!!! these forums are a blessing for insomniacs who feel like playing music in the middle of the night,but cant because their girlfriends have a steady job and are fast asleep.

[marc dalmasso]

the original tuners should be like this  ; for the tailpiece , take a look in my pictures i 've published some months ago; there is the same one _that my friend éric has refurbished for one of his customers

[skip sail]

I have seen both of these styles in Washburn catalogue photos,along with a square one. They were probably ordered from a seperate company ,but who?

Looked at your photos Marc,thanks for the info,that tailpiece is beautiful.I am going to get an engineering buddy to try and make one for me,using your photo as a guide(if thats ok with you?)